I'm hoping RestoreMaz willl see this and show me how he gets plastic parts so clean when he refinishes them.

My Rx3 was a race car and it's been painted many, many times. I'm trying to restore it's tail lights so I soaked them in brake fluid and took off 3-4 layers of thick paint. However the stock silver paint is also flaking off and I'm not sure how to either smooth it out so I can paint over it or remove it. I'm thinking about having them soda blasted but I don't want to ruin them.

Thank you for getting back to me RestoreMaz.The tail lights have a shiny silver paint on them with what looks like copper backing. Brake fluid took off the layers of spray paint easily but this shiny silver paint is no joke although given enough time I think the brake fluid will take it off as well.The plastic stripper that I've found here in the U.S. is made for flexible plastic like bumpers and says not to use it on hard plastic so I'm just letting the tail lights soak in brake fluid while I'm off doing other stuff.

Sounds like the chrome is lifting, that's for a chrome plater to fix. Needs full removal without damaging the underlying plastic then a new copper coat for the chrome to stick too. I have had a set done along with many of my mates. Go see a good metal refinishers and ask them! But I can't imagine brake fluid is doing any good for the surrounds now you've got the paint off. good luck. Post some pics when you've sorted it.

Found out by accident, The plan was to clean up some brackets. I put them in a bucket with laundry detergent and forgot about it because I was busy with other things. Why laundry detergent, because it was the only thing I could find on that moment. Few days later they were clean, very very clean..

The only thing is, you have to be patient. It's not like paintstripper, it takes some time, but it's harmless for plastics.

Thank you to RestoreMaz, beans161, and mazda 818 for answering and the tips.

Getting the chrome off is a little bit of a saga because platers in the around here in the Bay Area don't deal with plastic very much. I found one in Oakland, CA who explained the process for removing chrome. The part is dipped in acid with a negative charge and then a positive charge is applied to the part. Off comes the chrome. Except since these parts are plastic they won't conduct the positive charge once the copper starts to come off so he wasn't sure how well the process would work. I gave the plater the small decorative pieces that go behind the rear side windows to practice on. I'll post pictures of what I get back.

Hey Ozzy, the guy is sooooo slow. He still has my parts and he's holding me up because I don't have another set of tail light surrounds so I can't drive my car. He is supposed to call me today (7/19) but if he doesn't I'm going to go get my stuff tomorrow. I saw other people using ferric chloride to remove chrome from plastic and that's my back up plan. If that works I'll just give you the ferric chloride I don't use.Meanwhile don't bother trying:Easy Offbrake fluidSuperClean

Skip,Thanks for the tip. Did you end up going and getting your parts? Was he just going to strip? Or re-chrome too? I've got a set of brand new chrome tail light covers from Australia but I'm thinking about going in a different direction And I've been thinking about selling. Pm me if interested.